First Coast Connect With Melissa Ross

Weekdays 9 a.m. Rebroadcast 8 p.m.

Hosted by Melissa Ross, First Coast Connect is an hour-long call-in program that features local newsmakers, civic and community leaders, artists and people planning a variety of events across Northeast Florida, along with a weekly roundtable of local journalists.

Join The Conversation: (904) 549-2937 (Note: This line is only active during the program, 9 -10 a.m.)

Ways to Connect

He's a widely quoted expert with decades of insight into America’s political scene. Now, Dr. Stephen Baker, professor of political science at JU, is preparing to step down from the post he’s held at the campus since 1985.

In ancient Greece, the word "doula" meant "a woman's servant." But today, doulas serve as the modern-day social support for women during one of the most important phases of their lives: pregnancy and childbirth.

Hearing loss is the most frequently diagnosed birth defect. According to Cynthia Robinson, Co-Director of the Jacksonville Campus of the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech, 33% of children in Florida do not receive follow-up hearing screenings after initial ones when they're newborns.

"Hearing loss is very devastating educationally," Robinson says. "The most important thing is to get the community awareness out there that children who are born deaf or hard of hearing can, with modern technology and appropriate intervention, learn to listen and talk like hearing children do."

After being dumped by her boyfriend of 10 years, First Coast author Caryn Rosenthal decided to turn that negative experience into a positive one. Rosnethal and co-author Maryjane Fahey, who was also dumped by her long term boyfriend, decided to get their lives back together, and used those bad breakups to write a successful book, "Dumped".

The across-the-board federal budget cuts known as sequestration were never supposed to actually happen. They were designed as a deterrent to force Congress to agree to a long-term deal on taxes and spending.

But because warring lawmakers could not come to terms, the sequester went into grinding effect this year, and the painful cuts are already being felt in a number of ways.

Melissa Ross spoke with those leading the city's first-ever crowd funding festival, and highlighted a few interesting projects from creators at One Spark this morning as First Coast Connect broadcasted live from Hemming Plaza.

Listen to the show on our On Demand page, or check out video from the show below.

Sheriff John Rutherford says his police force is beefing up security for the city's inaugural One Spark Festival. It's a routine precaution in the wake of Monday's deadly bombings at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The attack in Boston killed three and injured nearly 150 more.

Rutherford says to expect added police presence for One Spark, although he urges the public not to worry.

Working parents know the drill. Every spring it's a scramble to find quality, affordable summer camps for their kids. The best camps fill up quickly, cost a lot, and it can be a logistical nightmare to try to schedule your kids in several different camps that fit their interests over the long summer break.